For all the Zutara Fans
by KaiFan4Ever
Summary: This story is in dedication to all the Zutara fans out there who feel as ripped off as I do. Think of it as a kind of unofficial epilogue to the avatar series. Zutara obviously, with some Maiko, Taang, and Kataang. Now complete!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: If I owned Avatar, I wouldn't need to write this, because Zutara would have happened.**

Prologue

It's a strange feeling, being the girlfriend of the avatar. Aang isn't around as much as I'd like, but I suppose it's only natural. He is the avatar, and it hasn't even been a full year since the war ended. He has important duties to take care of, but for some reason, I feel abandoned. I know he loves me, and I love him, but I'm starting to wonder if us being together was really a good idea. When he's with me I'm happy. He acts so cute an innocent. He's just adorable. And loyal, and fun, and always happy. When I'm with him I feel like a princess. Yeah, Princess Katara, that's me. But, those times are becoming fewer and fewer. My loneliness is becoming greater and greater. Three weeks ago Aang went to the Fire Nation, where he and Zuko are creating a new school system with dance classes. Well, Zuko is working on the school; Aang is working on the dance classes. He writes to me often, saying that he misses me, and saying he'll try to visit me soon. I know he's doing his best, and I'm proud of him, but sometimes I feel like things just weren't meant to be.

I don't get to see my friends very often either. Toph went to Omashu to help rebuild the city. I'm told the reconstruction is going much faster with a Metal bender. Her parents arrived about a month ago. They still don't see eye-to-eye, figuratively speaking, but they are all happy to be together again. Sokka and Suki are planning on returning to Kyoshi Island, but for now, they are wondering around the charred parts of the earth kingdom, rebuilding it, and looking for Sokka's sword and boomerang. And finally Zuko. He comes to visit Iroh and I here in Ba Sin Se whenever he gets the chance, about one week every month. He and Aang should be able to visit us again soon. I'm looking forward to that. I've set up a hospital in Ba Sin Se to heal wounded solders from any nation and to act as a representative of the Southern Water tribes.

Iroh and I have become quite close in these past few months. So close that he's become somewhat of an uncle to me as well. His teashop, the Jasmine Dragon, has become world famous. I make a point to stop in every day and help out. He and his assistant Jin always have their hands full. That's basically how I've been spending my days. Healing soldiers, waiting for letters from my friends, missing Aang, and making tea.


	2. The Talk

The Talk

"Thank you miss Katara. I truly appreciate what you are doing for all of us."

"Don't worry about it." I respond to the wounded Fire Nation soldier. "I'm happy to help."

I water bend the water out of my hip flask and bring it up to his head. It begins to glow a light blue color as the healing process begins. This is the soldier's fifth visit with me. He took a blow to the head late in the war, and sustained some brain damage. He lost some of his memories and had nearly gone blind by the time he arrived at my hospital. The damage was quite severe and is taking time to heal, but we are making progress. His memories are returning slowly and while his eyesight won't ever be what it was, it is improving also.

"No, I mean it. I would have gone completely blind without you. You've saved me, and you had no reason to at all. I'm a Fire Nation soldier. You're from the water tribes and fight for the Earth Kingdoms. If we had met even a year ago, we would be trying to kill each other. Surely, there must be something I can do to repay you." The soldier was sitting down facing away from me, so I couldn't see his face, but the tone of his voice was sad, like a helpless child. The water bender in me could tell he was crying.

"You want to know how you can repay me?" I ask him.

"Yes miss. I'll do anything." He tries to turn around to look at me, but I keep his head straight and continue healing him.

"Then stop calling your self a soldier. This war is over. Neither one of us are fighting for either side any more. I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do, not because I want something out of it."

"I see. I'll make sure to do that." The water stops glowing and I put it back in my hip flask. I could sense he was smiling, even though I couldn't see his face.

"Your healing session is over for today. I'd say one or two more and you'll be ready to go home." I tell him with a smile on my face. He stands up and turns to me.

"You truly are an angel miss. I'm glad I had the fortune of meeting you. The avatar is very lucky to have someone like you at his side. Good bye for now." He says and walks out the Door.

"Good bye." I say out of habit, not really paying attention any more. '_The avatar is lucky to have me? We barely see each other any more How can either of us be lucky we we're practically strangers now._' My thoughts drift toward my boyfriend, and I find myself wondering if relationships were meant to be like this. I know relationships are supposed to take work, but isn't that to solve and avoid fights? Aang and I haven't fought yet. Are meetings are always too short. Other than my brother, there were no boys my age in the Southern Water Tribes, so I've never had a boyfriend before. I have no personal experience to compare this to. Sokka and Suki seem happy in their letters. So do Zuko and Mai, but then again they all have each other.

The ex-soldier was my last patient today, so after filling out a health report on him I walk over to Iroh's teashop, and pray it isn't too crowded today. I desperately need some advise. Apparently it was later than I thought because when I arrived there were only a few customers left and Iroh and Jin were starting to close up. As I open the door the door to the Jasmine Dragon and Iroh looks up.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed for- Oh, Katara! I had thought you weren't coming today. Welcome. We were just closing up." Iroh's face has a wide smile on it as I walk in. He really is a sweet man. I can see why Zuko was so upset when they were apart.

"I'm sorry I'm late, it was a busy day at the hospital. Iroh, I was wondering…?"

"Yes, Katara?"

"Can I talk to you for a bit?"

"Certainly. Jin do you think you can manage to close shop without me today?"

"Sure, no problem." Said Jin as she went to clean up the table where the last customers had just left.

Iroh leads me out back to a private spot under an oak tree. We both sit down on a bench and he asks me "So, what seems to be bothering you?"

"It's Aang."

"What about him?"

"I never get to see him any more. I can't help but feel like we're drifting. I know he has important duties as the avatar, but I feel like if he was really that serious about me he would try to spend some more time with me. I know I'm being selfish, but I can't help it. We got together just under a year ago, and at the time it seemed like a good idea. He had made it obvious that he loved me, and he wanted us to get together. I was hesitant at first, but after he defeated the fire lord, I realized that I loved him too. I seemed right that we should get together, but now I'm not so sure. I don't want to tell him all this in a letter, but I've never gotten the chance to tell him in person. I'm so confused Iroh, what should I do?"

Iroh remained quite for a few moments, thinking over what I had just said. When he finally did speak it wasn't what I had wanted to hear. "I'm not sure I can help you Katara. When it comes to matters of the heart only you can decide what's right for yourself. However, if you ever feel like you just need someone to talk to, I'm always here to listen."

I'm not sure how I should be feeling now. I'm just as confused as ever, but I manage to smile at him. "Thank you, Iroh. I'll go help Jin close up." I get up to leave but he calls me back.

"Wait a moment Katara, I have something for you. It arrived just this morning." I stopped walking away, and turned back to him. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a letter. "It's from Zuko."

"Oh, thank you." I say, pleased to have some news from someone.

"It's my pleasure." Said Iroh smiling. "Now, what do you say we go help Jin finish closing, then we can all go out and get massages. I'm sure you could use one after such a busy day, and I never get tired of them. Naturally, I'll pay for both of you."

"That's a wonderful idea Iroh. Thank you so much." I really mean it too. With all the emotional stress I've been under lately my back has become as stiff as a rock. I could use some serious pampering. As we walk back into the teashop, I can't help but feel a little better. My problems are by no means solved, but Iroh has a way of making anyone feel good. He really is a sweet person.


	3. The Voyage

The Voyage

Dear Katara,

As I'm sure you know the Friday after next marks the one-year anniversary of the end of Sozin's War. I was hoping you would be able to come visit me next week for a celebration party. I've told Aang about my idea, and he looks forward to seeing you. All of us do. I have also sent a letter to Sokka, Suki, Uncle, and Toph, (I'm sure she can find someone to read it to her.) so you can expect to see them too. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Your Friend,  
Zuko

I felt myself smile as I read over Zuko's letter. It's been so long since we were all together as a group. Whether or not I could make it wasn't even a question at this point. If it wasn't possible, I would make it possible. None of my patients in the hospital are in any immediate danger. They'll be totally fine if I'm gone for a few days, besides it's not like I'm the only doctor there, I'm just the only water bending one. I still have a few days to tie up some loose ends before I'm expected at the Fire Nation Palace. Transportation isn't a problem either. There are tons of people here in Ba Sin Se I can ask, and being friends with the Earth King doesn't hurt either. I can definitely make this work.

I sit down at my desk and write a quick response to Zuko, telling him to expect me in four days. That leaves two days for me to work things out with the hospital, and two for traveling. I don't have a messenger hawk with me at the moment, and it's too late to go out. The communication tower closes to the public just after sunset, except for emergencies, which this isn't, so I just set the letter down and relax in my chair. I'll just send it out in the morning.

I look around my room and realize, not for the first time, that everything is green. Very green. My blue possessions feel very out of place here. Not that I have many possessions. When you travel all over the world with three or more people all crowded on the back of a flying bison, there isn't a whole lot of space for petty luxuries. I've acquired a few objects here and there, but my room still looks rather bland. The desk I'm sitting at now, which is empty except for the two letters, is next to my bed. My bed is white with wooden framing and a green outer blanket. Opposite the bed is a dresser where my few outfits are kept. The door is next to that. There are only two windows in this room. One is next to my desk. The other is at the head of my bed. The walls are a yellow-green color, with a dark green border. If I could be bothered to put some pictures up, get a few more possessions, and maybe hire someone to paint the walls a different color it could actually be quite nice. I don't know what's stopping me. No. That's not true. I do know what's stopping me. I don't want to be tied down to this place. If I were to settle down here, I would be admitting to myself that I would spend the rest of my life like this, and I could never do that. I need something different. I need to get out of here. This get-together may be just what I'm looking for.

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Three days have gone by in a flash. Ever notice how that happens when you're in a good mood? Iroh and I are on a ship heading to the Fire Nation at this very moment. It reminds me of the ship that Zuko was on when we first met him, only this one is made of wood, and doesn't look quite so menacing. It's a nice ship, but what's really nice, is to be by the ocean again. That's one thing I love about the Fire Nation. You're never more than an hour away from the Sea. And even better, the palace is right next to it. I don't think the people of the Fire Nation realize how lucky they are. They live in a nice warm climate so close to the ocean. If it weren't for all the smoke and overall stiff attitude, that place would be paradise. As it is, it's really not bad. The Earth Kingdom is nice too, but that much rock and dirt could drive someone insane. I don't know how they manage to be away from the sea for so long. It's nice to be back by the water. I really needed this vacation.

"Katara?"

"Whoa!" I had no idea Iroh was behind me. I had been lost in my thoughts, and hadn't heard him walking over.

"I'm sorry I startled you. I was just wondering if you would like to play a game of Pai Sho with me. We won't be arriving at the Fire Nation for another few hours, and I thought you would like to do something to pass the time."

"Don't worry about it. It was my fault for not paying attention to my surroundings. A game of Pai Sho sounds great, but you have to promise to take it easy on me. I only just learned how to play and you're a master."

"Hahaha. Well, I don't know about master, but I have won quite a few games in my day." Laughed Iroh while running a hand through his beard and looking thoughtful. "But don't worry. I'll make sure to give you some advice where and when you need it."

We walked to the bow of the boat where Iroh already had a Pai Sho table set up. No doubt winning some extra pocket money off all the crewmembers. We both sat down and I made the first move by placing a lily tile on my side of the board. "So," I asked Iroh "Is Jin running the teashop by herself?"

"Oh no. That place gets far too busy for the two of us to handle sometimes. I wouldn't dream of asking her to run it by herself. I gave her a week of paid vacation, and closed the shop until I get back." Said Iroh making his first move; the white lotus piece. Why does he always start with the white lotus piece?

"I see, but won't you lose customers that way"

"Perhaps some, but they'll come back soon enough, and goodness knows we have enough." Iroh always seems to see the bright side of things, or maybe he's just bragging. "I've been wondering though…" he continues, "Have you thought about what you are going to say to Aang when you see him?"

"Not really." I confess. "I'm just hoping things will work out while I'm over there, but I can't see how they will. Everything is just so complicated for me right now. I'm starting to wonder if the feelings of love I have towards him are even the romantic kind at all. I've never been very close with a boy before, what if I had my feelings mixed up? It doesn't feel like the kind of love I have towards Sokka, but I'm just so confused right now, I can't be sure of anything."

"Well, I'm sure if you just do what your heart tells you, everything will work out in the end. Don't put that piece there." The abrupt change in subject catches me off guard and I freeze with my piece only an inch off the board.

"Why not?" I ask surprised. _'I thought it was a good move.'_

"The jasmine tile is in disharmony with the rose tile. If you put it there you will lose points. You should put either your white jade or white lotus there. The white lotus is wild and can be used in any group, so you may want to save it for later, but it will also give an extra point to it's surrounding tiles."

"That's right, I had forgotten. Thank you Iroh." I said as I moved to get a different piece.

"One more thing."

"Yes?"

"You can feel free to call me Uncle."

"All right, thank you Uncle."

And that's how we spent the rest of our trip.

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Pai Sho doesn't exist outside of Avatar, but it can really be played. For rules on how to play it, visit this website. www. ehow .com /how2257915play-ancient-game-pai-sho.html only take out the spaces

Thank you to all my reviewers and subscribers. This is the first fanfiction I've ever written, and I'm glad so many of you like it. I live off of praise, so the more you review, the more this story is updated. I will be going on vacation later this week, but I'll try to have one or two more chapters out by then. I can't believe I just finished the third chapter. I'm never this diligent. And what's even more surprising? I actually have a plot! It's got a few bugs, but it's a plot none-the-less.


	4. Aang

Aang

"Katara!"

"Aang!"

"Uncle!"

"Zuko!"

I throw my arms around Aang as Iroh does the same to Zuko. My arms wrap around his neck, since he's too short for me to reach his waist. It's a bit of a shame. I've always preferred tall men. "I've missed you Aang. Ba Sin Se has felt lonely with out everyone there."

"I've missed you too Katara." He says with that childlike grin on his face. "You'll never believe what we've been doing!" He's practically jumping up and down with excitement now.

"You mean other than setting up a school system that isn't so full of propaganda?" Why would he do something so against the plan and not even bother to tell me about it? It's almost as though he was avoiding me on purpose. But, I suppose what really happened is, he just didn't think about what he was doing. He always has been a bit compulsive.

"Yeah, that job turned out to be really boring. I totally lost interest after the first week, and just left it all up to Zuko. I give him some avatar advice once in a while, but he knows what he's doing." _'Wait a moment. Does that mean he hasn't been working in two whole weeks? He could have just come back to Ba Sin Se if he was done!'_ "I'm still teaching them all about dancing, but as far as the reading, writing, and arithmetic parts of learning are concerned, that's Zuko's job. But anyway, I've been doing a lot of planning for the party."

"The party, but shouldn't that be left up to the servants?"

"Well normally yes, but I really wanted to pitch in. The other day, I was practicing my fire bending, and one of the fireballs hit this rock, and it made lots of different colored sparks. I sent it to the science people here to figure out what happened. I think they'll be able to use it to make a really awesome finish to this party on Friday." He was talking so fast I could hardly understand him. I wish I knew where he got all this energy from. "I've also been helping everyone decorate! Come on! You've got to see how everything looks now!"

He grabs my hand and starts pulling me toward the palace. "Wait a minute Aang. I haven't even gotten a chance to say hi to Zuko yet."

"Don't worry about that. You'll be staying here all week. There's plenty of time to talk to him later, besides, he and Iroh are still busy talking."

"Well, yes, but it would be rude to just run off without saying anything."

"Don't worry about that Katara. Just wait until you see the palace. It looks awesome!"

He was right. The palace had been decorated with flags from all four nations. Everywhere you looked you could see something from the Water Tribes, Fire Nation, and Earth Nations. He even managed to get some things from the Air Temples. Each nation was equally represented. The party didn't officially start until tomorrow, and would last the whole week. The servants were still putting up some finishing touches.

I had stopped to look at some of the detail work in one of the paintings of the Northern Water Tribe, when Aang started pulling me by the arm again. "Come on Katara, you can look at that later, you have got to see what we've done with the throne room! That's where all the dancing is going to be done!"

"Aang." I said annoyed, while pulling my arm back, and finally getting his attention.

"Yes, Katara?"

"Listen, I like what you've done with the decorations, but right now I just want to rest. I've been out at sea for the past two days, and I didn't sleep well last night. All I want to see now is where I'll be staying in my visit here, so I can unpack and maybe take a nap."

"Oh. Ok. I understand. Just go down that hall until you reach a set of stairs. Go up one flight, and it's the second door on the left."

"Thanks Aang."

"No problem. See you later."

In reality, I don't feel tired at all. I grew up next to the ocean. The rocking of the ship was like home, and I had slept like a baby the whole night. I just couldn't stand to be shown any more of this Palace. I do need to rest, but that's because of sensory overload, not lack of sleep.

When I walked into my room, I noticed my belongings had already been brought up. That's right, the whole bag was already there, sitting on my bed. I decided I probably should unpack, even though I just felt like lying down and shutting my eyes for a while.

'_This room is much nicer than the one I had in Ba Sin Se.' _I think to myself as I dump the contents of my bag onto my bed. It's not like anything I have is breakable. _'In fact, it reminds me of my home in the Southern Water Tribe.' _Unlike in Ba Sin Se where everything was in the style of the Earth Kingdom, here everything had been styled to look not like the Fire Nation, but the Water Tribes. The walls were painted a navy blue with white waves along the bottom. The bed had a fur blanket, and there was a seal pelt on the floor. There were pictures of the snow-covered regions where I grew up on the walls, and there was even a painting of my family hanging over my bed. It was so sweet I almost started crying. _'How in the world did they get all this done in four days? Surely they hadn't started decorating it before they even got my letter. Well, I should probably start putting this stuff away. Procrastinating won't help me much' _

I had just finished putting my clothes away, and started trying to find a place to put my other belongings, when I heard a knock on the door. "Come in." I said with out looking up from what I was doing. It was probably Aang deciding that there was something else I had to see. The door opened, and someone walked in.

"Hello Katara." That voice didn't belong to Aang. I spun around to find myself looking at none other than Zuko.

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Hurray! Chapter 4 is done! I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. Sorry about that, but this seemed like the perfect place to stop. I love cliffhangers.

I didn't particularly enjoy writing this chapter. I'm sure every author has his or her off days, and this was one of mine. I hope it didn't show in my work.

The story is turning out a bit differently than I had intended, but a few tweaks here and there, and it should all work out.

Thank you to all my reviewers. I can't tell you how much you all mean to me. It sounds sappy, but it's true. I'm not planning on making this a very long story, but there will still be several more chapters.

And yes, the sparky rock does mean fireworks.


	5. Zuko

Zuko

"Zuko? What're you doing here?" _'I don't know why but for some reason Zuko was the last person I expected to see. He caught me totally off guard. I suppose the fact that I've had a crush on him for a while doesn't help.'_

"Well, I didn't get a chance to say hi to you earlier, so I though I'd do that now."

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. I wanted to stay a bit longer, but Aang insisted that I have a tour of the Palace." _'He looks different. Did he get a haircut? No, it seems a bit longer than before.'_

"Don't worry about it. I know how he can be. So, how do you like it?"

"It?" _'He can't mean his hair, unless I accidentally said that out loud. I hope I didn't.'_

"The Palace."

"Oh, right. It was nice. I liked how you've gathered things from all four nations. That must have taken you a while." _'Is that the outfit he was wearing last year? No, it looks similar, but this one has more embroidery in it. It's casual, yet fit for a Fire Lord. Who would have thought he had such a great sense of fashion.'_

"Not as long as you'd think. It's actually quite easy to get things when you're royalty."

"Oh right, I guess I just don't think that way." _'This conversation is going nowhere fast. I need to say something interesting, but what?'_

"So Katara, I was wondering if you would sit next to me at dinner tonight." _'Or Zuko could beat me to it'_

"Dinner?" _'Why does my stomach feel so fluttery right now? It's not like he just asked me on a date or anything.'_ "Sure I will. That sounds like fun."

"Great. I'll be looking forward to that." He said with a smile. _'He looks so cute when he smiles.'_ "So, how do you like your room?"

"Oh, I love it. It reminds me of home. But, how did you get everything done so fast? I only sent out my response letter about four days ago."

"Well, I was fairly sure you would come, so I had everyone start working on it a few weeks ago. Besides, even if you couldn't come this time, it would be here the next time you came to visit."

"Thanks Zuko. It has been a while since we've spoken hasn't it?" _'Though I still see him more than I see Aang…'_

"A bit, but if we hadn't had this party, then I would have found a reason to go visit you and Uncle in Ba Sin Se."

"That's really sweet of you Zuko."

"Well, I've been missing you, er, you and Uncle. It's no big deal." Said Zuko while looking at the floor, trying to hide is red cheeks. _'He's blushing! That is sooooo cute! Wait a minute. I'm Aang's girlfriend. I shouldn't be thinking this.'_

"So, what have you been up to since we last saw each other?" Said Zuko still not quite meeting my eyes.

"Not much really." I responded "I've pretty much been working at the hospital and going over to Uncle's tea shop, although yesterday Uncle treated Jin and I to massages."

"Yeah, that sounds like something he would do. Wait a minute," Zuko's expression went from reminiscent to surprised faster than I could blink. "Since when do you call him Uncle?"

"Since this morning actually. We were playing a game of Pai Sho and he told me it was fine to call him that."

"Well that was nice of him. Who won?"

"He did, but he said I was getting much better."

"Were you playing for money?"

"No. Why?"

"Because if you weren't, then he actually meant it. Anyway, I just got a letter from Sokka and Suki"

"Oh, what did they say?"

"They're planning on coming, but may be a day or two late. They just found Sokka's boomerang, and are doing a detailed search in that aria for his sword. Oh, and Toph should be arriving sometime before dinner. Speaking of which, I need to go help with the preparations. You should get ready sometime soon. It's in a little over an hour, and the dress code is formal."

"I shouldn't need that much time. Do you think I could help with preparations too?"

"Don't you have to finish putting your stuff away?"

"It's not that big a deal. I can do it later."

"Well, I could definitely use your help. You're an excellent cook."

"Aw, thanks Zuko"

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"Too short … too childish … too plain … Gross. Why do I even own that? … Not a chance." I let out a sigh. "This is hopeless. I'm never going to find something to wear at this rate. I should have just gotten ready like Zuko suggested. Why did it have to be a formal dinner?! Urgh… too worn … too faded … Oh! I had forgotten I owned this. It might just be what I need."

The shirt I was holding had been a gift from my dad for my thirteenth birthday. He had sent it back to be from his travels during the war. It had been too big for me at the time, but it fits perfectly now. It's extremely beautiful, but I don't get the chance to wear it often. The shirt itself was white, but there was so much embroidery it almost looked blue. It was a bit itchy, but that's the kind of stuff you put up with to look nice. The sleeves poofed out over the shoulders and it had a low but flat neckline. _'I can match it with that blue skirt that was too plain, and it won't be overpowering. Great it works, but now what about my hair? Do I stick with my normal style, or put it up in the Fire Nation style?'_ I sighed again. I never knew formal dinners were this much work.

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The dinning hall looked amazing. It's no wonder Aang had wanted to show it to me earlier. Banners where hanging up all over with the symbols and colors of the four nations, four tabled had been pushed into one long one, each table had the color of a different nation, and that's not even the start. There were so many different decorations everywhere; it would take me weeks to just see them all.

"Wow Katara. You look great!" said Aang who had escorted me from my room to

the dinning hall. He took me by the hand and led me over to the red section of the table. "Come on, I saved you a seat. It's right at the head of the table where Zuko and I are sitting."

"Thank you Aang. That was really nice of you." I said while smiling what I hoped to be a realistic smile. _'Wasn't that Zuko's idea?'_ "Hey Aang?"

"Yes Katara?"

"I need to talk to you about something after dinner."

"About what?"

"Now's not the time." _'I need to tell him about how I feel sometime. That may as well be when I do it.'_

"Oh. Ok. Well we're a bit late. Dinner should be starting any second now." Sure enough, we hadn't been sitting for more than thirty seconds when the kitchen doors opened and the servants came out carrying trays of food.

While the food was being brought out, I used my spare time to take a look at the seating arrangements. Zuko and Mai were sitting next to each other at the head of the table. I sat on Zuko's left, and Aang sat next to me. The space right next to Mai was empty and next to that sat Toph. Those were the only people I could recognize within talking distance. There were hundreds of people here, but most of them seemed to be retired fire and earth nation soldiers or civilians who had managed to get an invitation. I could barely make out a few familiar faces down at the water tribe end of the table. Sokka and Suki hadn't arrived yet.

"So Mai, why is that chair next to you empty? Everywhere else is full. Are you saving it for someone?" Mai who had just been talking with Zuko turned around to look at me with a deadpan expression. She seemed bored out of her mind, but Zuko seemed entertained by what ever she had just been saying.

"No, it's not being saved for anyone. We left that chair empty in honor of the soldiers who died in battle, and couldn't make it today." She said and went back to talking to Zuko.

"That's such a sweet thing to do. I'm really touched." I said. _'Who would have thought Mai would do something like that?' _She turned back to me again and said, "It was Zuko's idea, and you're dinner's getting cold." Before turning back to him yet again. She's not exactly the politest person in the world, but she brought up a good point. The table is set, and I have yet to start eating.

I didn't recognize any thing that was sitting before me. I suppose that's what I get for sitting at the Fire Nation table. I had just started scooping something that looked like it wouldn't burn my mouth too badly when Toph speaks up.

"Uh guys, I don't mean to complain, but this is a wooden table. I can't see a thing on it, and nothing even smells familiar." How do we always seem to forget about Toph being blind? This should have been kind of obvious.

"Don't worry about it Toph," Says Aang reaching over the table for her plate. "I'll get it for you."

"Oh … thanks Aang. I appreciate that." Toph's cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink.

I took a bit of my food, and found that it wasn't too bad. Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, hot obviously, but really good. I could get used to this type of food. _'I wonder what's in it? Nuts. That's for sure, but what else?'_

My thought were interrupted by the loud thud of one of the hall doors banging into the wall, as a man dressed in Fire Nation uniform came running over to Zuko.

"Fire Lord Zuko, you and Lady Mai need to report for an important meeting right away." Said the man sounding a bit winded.

"Can't you see we just sat down to eat? Just wait an hour for us to finish. It would be rude to leave all these people now." Answered Zuko before reaching for his cup and taking a drink of what ever was in it.

"My lord, I'm afraid I must insist. We've just recieved word of something that requires your immediate attention." This guy wasn't going to give up.

"Alright. I'm coming." Zuko said as he stood up. He looked quite annoyed. "Mai are you coming?"

"If I have to." Said Mai sounding like she couldn't tell which was more boring, this party, or the potentially devastating news.

"I'm sorry to leave you all at such an early time. I'll make this as quick as I can. I'll see you before dinner is over." Said Zuko as he hooked arms with Mai and followed the man out the room.

Dinner lasted two more hours. In that time, Aang managed to spill his beverage all over his shirt, (Toph thought it was funny, but that him jumping up and down after was hilarious.) some man eleven chairs down started laughing so hard at something, that he spit out all his food on the woman in front of him, and I managed to find out, from the lady with the funny hat next to Toph, that Azula wet the bed until she was eight. I still have now idea how we got on to that conversation, or how she would know such a thing.

But the only thing I cared about was that throughout the whole dinner, Zuko never came back.

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Ok. Chapter five is done. I got lots of complaints that my chapters were too short, so I decided to make them longer. This particular chapter has 2,347 words. I don't even write that much in school! I must really care about what my readers think.

I'll be going on vacation for a few days tomorrow. I hope you can all wait 'til then for the next chapter. Evil smirk. It's gonna be a good one. Katara and Aang finally have "The talk". We find out what happened to Zuko. And maybe I'll throw in some more Zutara moments, but only if I come back from vacation to find that my inbox is full of reviews. :D . Oh, and don't worry. Zuko isn't dead. How can I have a Zutara story with only half the necessary ingredients? Oh, and I hate character death fics, and Zuko is my fav character, so I would never kill him off. REVIEW!!


	6. The Breakup

The Breakup

"So Katara, what did you want to talk about?"

Dinner had ended a while ago. Most of the guests had ether returned to their homes or gone to their rooms in the Palace. I haven't seen Zuko since he left several hours ago. I'm a bit worried, but I know he can take care of himself. Right now, my biggest concern is Aang. The two of us are standing outside my room. We need to talk about some things if our relationship is going to last.

"I want to talk about us." It hurt to say, but this conversation is long over due.

"Us?" His happy expression changes to one of confusion.

"Yes, us. I don't feel like our relationship can last much longer if it continues the way it's going now. We need to talk about some things, but mostly about the time we spend together." There, I said it. It's out in the open. I can't turn back now.

"What's wrong with the time we spend together? We always get along great."

"It's not the time we are together Aang, it's the time we aren't."

"I don't understand."

"You're never there. We've been dating for a year now, but in that time, I've only seen you for about a month, if that. I feel like you've become a stranger to me." His eyes widen. Whatever he had been expecting hadn't been anything like this.

"But Katara, I'm the Avatar. I need to travel the world to keep order. It's impossible for me to stay in one place for too long of a time. If it bothers you that much, why don't you come with me? It would be like before the war ended, when we all traveled around on Appa."

I let out a sigh and my shoulders slumped down. He just didn't get it. "Aang, I know you're the avatar, and I know you have responsibilities. I'm not mad at you, because I know that's the way it has to be."

"If you aren't mad, then why can't you come with me!?" He took a step towards me. His eyes and voice were both pleading with me.

"Aang, I can't do that. I need to stay in one place to work at my hospital. I heal people from all over, so it doesn't matter where my hospital is, as long is it's in one spot. I can take a vacation once in a while, but I can't move around from week to week at random. I need to be available to these people. I'm sorry, but that just wouldn't work out. We have two totally different life styles, and they just don't seem to mix."

"Katara, are … are you …" Aang couldn't seem to find his words, or maybe he just didn't want to "are you breaking up with me?" He looked so hurt; it made my heart ache just looking at him.

"I …" Now it was my turn to be speechless. Somehow this conversation had gone from trying to improve our relationship to trying to end it. I wanted to be able to hug him. I wanted to tell him I didn't mean what I was saying, but I couldn't do that. "I don't know Aang. That hadn't been my intention, but maybe that would be for the best. It doesn't seem to be working out between us, and it might be good for us to go our separate ways for a while. Maybe you could find someone whose schedule suits your lifestyle better than mine does. Someone like Toph. The reconstruction of Omashu is nearly complete, and she loves traveling. That's why she joined us in the first place. I'm sure she'd love to go with you. I think she's had a crush on you for a while."

"But Katara, I don't want anyone else in my life! You're the only one for me! Please don't do this!" He took another step toward me and grabbed my hands in his as he spoke. He was crying now, but he didn't even blink as he locked eyes with me. I feel absolutely horrible now. I can't bear to look him in the eyes, so I turn my head and close my eyes them tightly.

"I'm sorry Aang, but I think it's best for both of us this way." I say this with out looking at him. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes, but I know this is what I have to do. I place my hand on my bedroom door and turn the handle.

"Katara…" I open the door.

"I'm sorry." I say once more before stepping inside my room and closing the door behind me. There is a moment of silence, but soon, I hear Aang walk away from my room, and down the hall going, I assume, to his own room. I listen to his footsteps, as they get quieter and quieter until, eventually, I can't hear them anymore.

I lean my back against my bedroom door and place my hands over my face. I breathe in deeply as I try to take in all of what just happened. I just broke up with Aang. He's not my boyfriend anymore. I'm single. I'm free. I'm exhausted.

'_It's been a long night.'_ I think to myself as I take my hands away from my face and push myself off the door. _'I think I'll go to bed and then sleep 'til noon'_

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It's been three days since I've spoken to Aang. I catch a glimpse of him once in a while, but I never see him long enough to talk to him. He's probably avoiding me, or maybe I'm avoiding him. It's probably a bit of both. I sure haven't been giving him many opportunities to talk to me.

Tomorrow is the last day of the party. I haven't enjoyed it as much as I would have liked. I've been talking with Toph a bit. When I told her about Aang and I breaking up she was sympathetic, but I could tell she was glad to hear he was single again.

I heard from one of the servants that Sokka and Suki should be arriving sometime today. Both Sokka's sword and boomerang have been found. The exact time of their arrival is still unknown, but I'm sure Sokka will find a way to make it here before dinner starts.

There have been lots of things to do at the party, but I haven't felt like socializing with total strangers much. I've taken to just wandering around the palace and trying to memorize its many different rooms and hallways, which is not an easy task. I tend to get lost often, which pretty much sums up my current situation. I know I'm somewhere near the top of the east tower, but that doesn't really help me much. I'm not worried though. I don't have to be anywhere for quite some time. Right now I'm content to wander around while trying not to think about much of anything.

'_Oh. Someone left a door open. Something smells good in there. I wonder what's inside.'_ I know I shouldn't be poking around other people's rooms, but if the door is already open it's not like I'm doing something illegal right?

I walk up to the door and gasp. It's absolutely gorgeous inside. I'm looking at a huge indoor garden. This room has to be as big as the dining hall, and it's full of plants. All kinds of plants! I can only recognize a few of them, but I know enough to tell that they're from all over the world. The room is also extremely bright. There are huge windows all over the walls. My eyes stop wandering when they land on a figure sitting on one of the window's ledges, looking out side with a sad expression on his face.

I walk over to him. The dirt floor muffles my footsteps. "Hi there." My voice sounded cheerful, which is surprising. Maybe I was unconsciously trying to lighten the sad atmosphere.

"Katara! What are you doing here?" Zuko asks while jumping up from his seat. Apparently he hadn't heard me coming.

"The door was open, so I just walked in. I hope you don't mind. This is a beautiful room. I've never seen so many different flowers in one place before. Is this where you've been all week?" I know, I'm rambling.

"Yeah, pretty much. I've been to a few meetings here and there, but I come here when ever I need to think, and these past few days I've really needed to think. I'm sorry about missing dinner that one time. It totally escaped my mind."

I really wanted to ask him what had been so important, but that would have sounded rude, so instead I just said, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you had your reasons. I can see why you like to come here. It's really peaceful."

"Yeah. You know, my mother planted this garden."

"Really?" _'Wow, Zuko must be feeling really sentimental. He rarely talks about is parents anymore.'_

"Yeah. When she was banished the servants must have taken care of it. Azula and Father never knew about it even though they lived here. I only found it a few months ago. I remember her telling me about it when I was a child, but she never showed me where it was. It was her private place."

"So you haven't gotten any news about her?"

"No. Not yet. Even Jun and her Shirshu can't find her. Apparently she hasn't been here in so long, her sent has faded from all her old belongings. My father still refuses to say anything, but I suppose in a way that's a good thing."

"How so?"

"I mean he hates me so much right now he would do anything to make me miserable. If he won't tell me where to find her, then it means she must still be alive somewhere. The world is a big place, but it's not endless. I have people searching everywhere. I know we'll find her soon. But enough of that. Care to tell me how you found this pace? It's on the opposite end of the building from the party."

"Well, I needed some alone time too, so I've been walking around the palace for the past few days. This morning I got lost and eventually found my way here."

"I see. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to make you wander around the palace instead of enjoying the party? I thought you had been looking forward to it."

"Aang and I broke up. We've been drifting for a while now, and I officially broke up with him three days ago. I haven't felt much like partying after that."

Zuko stood there looking at me for a few seconds absorbing what I had just told him, when he suddenly started laughing. He wasn't rolling on the floor or anything, in fact he looked kind of sad and I almost couldn't hear him, but it was still inappropriate.

"And just what is so funny?" I ask him, ticked off.

"I'm sorry. I'm not laughing because it's funny. I'm laughing because it's ironic."

"Ironic?"

"Yeah. You're here for the same exact reason I am." _'Is he always this vague?'_

"What do you mean?"

"Mai and I just broke up."

"Oh, I'm sor–Wait, What? When? Why? I don't understand you two seemed to be getting along so well."

"There have been riots. I didn't think too much of them at first. They were mostly just petty drunken arguments, but three days ago one of the riots broke out into a full-blown battle. If my soldiers hadn't quieted them down as fast as they did it could have started another war."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it's under control, but what does that have to do with you and Mai?"

"That's just it though. It isn't under control. This one was stopped, but there will be others. If we don't do something to stop them they'll just get worse and worse. That's where Mai comes in. We decided, in the meeting, that a representative of the Fire Nation needs to be sent out to talk peace with them. Someone who can be trusted and who has preferably been in the higher ranks for a while. Mai was the obvious choice. It's impossible to tell how long she'll be gone, but it'll definitely be several years. That's why we broke up. Relationships don't work if the couple never gets to see each other."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. That's why I broke up with Aang. He's traveling all over the world keeping peace, while I have to stay in my hospital."

"I guess we have a lot in common, don't we?"

"Yeah, I guess we do…" I've noticed this before, but it's hasn't been so unbelievably clear to me until now.

The whole time I've been talking to Zuko my heart has been pounding. I've been around him before, so what is it that's making me react this way now? Is it that I'm not with Aang anymore? Is it because of all the pollen in the air? Is it the adorable look on his face, like a lost puppy? Is it because I've been lonely, and Zuko has been going through the same thing as me? I don't know, but one thing is certain, I love him.

"Zuko, I need to tell you something."

"What is it Katara?"

"I've actually wanted to tell you for a while now. I know now isn't the best time, but I don't think I'll have another chance to say it. I opened up to you at Ba Sin Se more than I have to anyone else, but you ended up betraying us. I felt like my heart had broken that day, so when you joined up with us afterwards, I thought it was too good to be true, and I put up my defenses around you. When you took me to the man who killed my mother I realized that you really did mean to stay, and you really did care about me. I was so happy when I realized that. I can't even put it in to words. Later when the two of us where fighting Azula, and you jumped in front of the lightning bolt she shot at me, I was so afraid that you where going to die. That's when I first admitted it to myself. I love you Zuko. I have ever since you joined our team, and maybe even before that."

All the while I was talking Zuko was looking at me intently. Now that the last bit of information has been said however, he looks away.

"Katara … I … I don't …" Rejection. I should have known this would happen. I'm surprised my heart isn't falling apart as I'm standing here. I guess it's just to numb right now. The pain will come later. I turn to leave.

"I'm sorry I put this all on you now Zuko. I know you have a lot to deal with. I'll just go." I say not looking at him. I managed to walk halfway to the door before he called to me.

"Katara wait!" I turn around to see him running towards me.

"Zuko, what–", but I never got to finish my sentence. Zuko had wrapped one arm around my back, and the other around my neck, and pulled me into a tight embrace. His lips were pressed up against mine. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. Zuko was kissing me. Zuko was really kissing me! As my shock subsided I moved my arms away from my sides and wrapped them around his back. I closed my eyes, and leaned into the kiss. We stay like that for a few seconds until Zuko breaks it off, but remains close to me. Our foreheads are almost touching.

"It's not that I don't care for you Katara, because I really truly do, it's just that, Mai and I only just broke up. I'm not ready to start a new relationship yet. This has been an emotional week for me, and I'm sure it has for you too. Right now we both need to rest, but when the time does come for me to want to be with someone, you'll be the first person I'll talk to. Is that alright with you?"

"I guess … I don't know Zuko. I'm just so confused right now" I can feel tears forming in my eyes, so I try to turn my head away from him, but he moves his hand from my neck and grabs my chin, pulling my head up to look at him again.

"You just need some time to think, and so do I."

"I'm sure you're right, though it feels like I've been doing a lot of thinking lately." I take a few steps back, and we both let out arms fall to our sides. "Well, I should probably talk to Aang soon. I can't keep avoiding him."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. So, I'll see you for the big finale tomorrow right?"

"You mean that thing with the rock Aang found? Sure. I'll see you then."

"Great. I'll be looking forward to that. Bye Katara."

"Bye Zuko" I said as I walked out the door, closing it behind me.

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Hurray!! Chapter 6 is done!! Man this was a long one, at least by my standards. I just typed nearly three thousand words! I hope it was worth it. Don't worry. This isn't the last chapter. I still have one maybe two to go.

ZUTARA KISS SCENE!! WOOT!! Are you guys happy? I'm sure you are. I added a Zutara kiss scene!

So how did you like the story? I was thinking about it all vacation long. (It's not like I had a lot of other things to do. I was camping with a bunch of hippies.) I had a good vacation, but it was a bit boring at times. Right near the end though my parents and I got caught in a really bad storm. There was lots of rain, heavy winds, lightning, and hail the size of a quarter. We were all waiting it out in the car, but even though we were all parked, we put our seatbelts on in case the car got flipped over. For a while I thought I was gonna die. Luckily though I managed to escape the trip with only a mild sunburn. I consider myself lucky. The sunburn was inevitable. I put a whole bunch of SPF 30 sun block on, and stayed in the shade whenever I could, but I burn so easily. My skin is so pale; I'm like a ghost. (I don't look sickly or anything. I just don't tan well.) Ah well. There's not much I can do about that. Well, I'm sure you're sick of hearing about my personal life, so I'll stop now.


	7. The End

The End

I don't know how I managed it, but somehow I've found my way back to the party. The dining hall is so absolutely full of people, that when I first stepped into it I was almost thrown back by the amount to noise that greeted me. The combination of people talking and the music playing is a huge difference from the extreme quiet of the halls that I had been hearing these past few days.

There were lots of people here at dinner, but there seems to be at least ten times that amount now. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but when you're trying to locate a certain ex-boyfriend in all these people it can be rather annoying. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. A bright orange needle in a red and green haystack, but it's still hard.

As I walk around the mass of people, trying to avoid getting stepped on by couples dancing, I spot a color that I've been looking for. Not orange, but blue, and it's at the buffet table. That can only mean one thing. Sokka and Suki have arrived. I don't know how I manage to move through the crowd of people so fast, but before I know it I'm hugging him so hard he nearly drops his plate of dumplings.

"Sokka! I've missed you so much! Welcome back!" I don't even care if people are staring at me. I haven't seen my brother in months.

"Whoa, what–Katara?" He sounds surprised. Maybe I should have let him know I was behind him before I started hugging him so hard. "Uh, Katara. I'm glad to see you too, but I'm starting to lose oxygen."

"Oh, sorry" I say while letting him go. His face had started to match his outfit. "So, I see you've found your sword and boomerang. Where were they anyway?"

The new topic made him forget about his oxygen problem right away. "Well, swords aren't meant to fly, so it pretty much fell straight down after I threw it. The only problem was that it had gotten stuck in a tree, and we were looking for it on the ground. I would have never found it if I hadn't been attacked by that platypus-bear. I ran up a tree to get away from it, and that happened to be the same tree my sword was stuck in, and once I had my sword, scaring off the platypus-bear was easy. My boomerang was a bit further away. We found it a little over half a mile away from the sword. It had stuck itself in the ground. I found it by tripping over it. "

"Haha. Nice one Sokka." I can't help but laughing at him. Finding his long lost boomerang by tripping over it, and his sword by running up a tree. That's exactly what I would have expected of him. "Well, I'm glad you found it. I know how much they mean to you, and now you and Suki can go back to Kyoshi Island right?"

"Yeah. She's really looking forward to it. I know she really misses everyone there. I told her she can go back there and I would keep searching, but she said she didn't trust me to be alone in the woods by myself. She said I would probably get lost or something." Yet again, I could completely imagine this happening.

"Speaking of Suki, where is she?" I had been so happy to see my brother again that I hadn't noticed his girlfriend wasn't anywhere near by.

"Oh, she said she was going to go look for Ty Lee. It's been a while since they've seen each other, and considering Suki is the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, and Ty Lee is the newest member, I suppose it's only natural that they should get to know each other better. By the way, do you know what's wrong with Aang? I spoke with him a bit earlier, and he seemed really down about something. I didn't ask him what was wrong, because I didn't want him to feel worse."

"Oh that. Yeah, that's my fault." I said, suddenly remembering why I had come here in the first place.

"What, did you and Aang have a fight or something?" asked Sokka.

"Well, no not exactly. I broke up with him."

"What?! Why? You two seemed to be getting along really well."

"Just because we weren't fighting doesn't mean we were getting along. I've barely seen him since the war ended. Things just didn't seem to be working out, so I ended it, which is why I need to go talk to Aang now. Do you know where he is?"

"I think so. I saw him a few minutes ago out on the balcony."

"Thanks Sokka"

"No problem. Good luck."

The walk from the Buffet table to the balcony doors seemed to take only a matter of seconds. Before I knew it I was standing in front of two huge glass doors. Aang was clearly visible on the other side. I could only see his back, but it was easy to tell how sad he was.

I open the door to the balcony and take a few steps in, but he doesn't turn around. I close the door, cutting off most of the sound, and walk over to him, but he still doesn't move.

"Hey." My voice is quiet and hesitant, but he hears me.

"Katara?" He looks like he can't believe that I'm really standing right next to him. He isn't crying, but his eyes are a bit red. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize. I know the breakup must have seemed really out of the blue to you, and I haven't even had the courtesy to speak to you in three days. I hadn't meant to avoid you, but I just found myself needing to get away from everyone for a while and think. This party meant a lot to you, and I ruined it for you. I know you must be hurt, and I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault Katara. I've been thinking over what you said that day, and you were right. I haven't been paying much attention to you. I've been telling myself that as the avatar I can't always be there, and while that may be true it doesn't change the fact that I should have been."

"Aang…" His speech caught me off guard. When did he grow up so much?

"I've realized that it is better for us to go our separate ways. It'll take me a while to get over you, but I'll manage. You were right when you said I should find someone else, so I asked Toph if she would join me when her work in Omashu was done, and she agreed. I don't love her like I love you, but maybe I will in time."

"That's great Aang. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, and maybe you can find someone too. Someone like Zuko."

"Zuko? Why would you say that?" _'Uh oh, I hope he didn't find out about the kiss earlier. There's no way he could have, but still…'_

"I just got the feeling that you had a crush on him. Even since you accepted him into our group, the two of you have gotten along great. Oh, I over heard two of his generals talking. Apparently Mai is leaving. That means he's available again and I'm pretty sure he likes you."

"Thank you Aang. I feel a lot better now that I've spoken with you. I'm sorry things didn't work out between us."

"Yeah, me too, but that doesn't mean we can't still share a dance as friends right?"

"Right" I say smiling.

"Great. Come on." Says Aang walking into the Dining Hall. I follow closely behind him. Things are finally starting to look up for me.

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"Come on Katara! We're going to be late!"

"Aang calm down. The show doesn't start until after sunset." It's nice to be on good terms with Aang again. I hated making him so sad, but he seems to be coping with things nicely. He's smiling much more, and he's got his childlike enthusiasm back. I just can't help but smile when I see him now.

"I know that Katara, but we have to find good seats. It's gonna be crowded there, and I don't want to miss a thing. Besides we have to save seats for the others."

"Alright Aang. Lead the way." I don't even bother to point out that as Fire Lord Zuko's honored guests, getting good seats would hardly be a problem for us.

It's the last day of the party, and Aang's big finish is due to start soon. Needless to say he's ecstatic about it. Everyone will be gathering at sunset by the beach right outside the Royal Palace to watch the party's finale. Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Zuko will be joining us later.

"So where do you think we should set up Katara?"

"Um" I looked around the beach. "How about over there?"

"On the hill? I thought we would be on the beach."

"Yeah, that way we'll be above everyone else so their heads won't get in the way, and we won't get all sandy."

"Good thinking. Could you help me unfold the blanket?"

"No problem."

"After we set everything up, do you want to help me make a sand castle?"

"Sure thing."

As it got to be around sunset, the beach started filling up with people. At first there were only a few people here and there, but after a while the beach and surrounding area became packed with people.

"Aang, we should be getting back to our spot now. The sun is just about down, and I can see the others waiting for us."

"Ok" Said Aang popping up from his current sand sculpture. "I just finished anyway. Lets go!"

When we get back to our patch of hill, Aang sits down next to Toph in the front, and I sit next to Zuko in the back. Sokka and Suki were both sitting off to the side.

"So Aang, how exactly does this show of yours work?" Asks Zuko, and I suddenly realize this is the first time I've seen him since the kiss.

"Well, apparently the sparks that the rocks make are because of certain chemicals in the rocks, so the scientists separated the different chemicals in the rocks, and ground them each up into a powder. Then they packed them all up in little boxes and attached a string to the box. So now all they have to do is light the string on fire, and launch the box with a sling shot, and while the box is in the air the fire reaches the powder, and it explodes in different colors." Said Aang, apparently very pleased with himself.

"That sounds amazing Aang, I can't wait for it to start." Said Suki.

"Yeah," adds Sokka, placing an arm around his girlfriend "This is going to be great."

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure this is going to be fun for all you seeing people, but it's not like I'll be able to see anything happening up in the air."

"Oh yeah, well then Toph, I'll just have to tell you what's happening. And it's still nice to be outside with everyone right?"

"Yeah, I guess it is. Thanks Aang"

"Don't worry about it."

"Hey guys," I interrupt "I think it's about to start" And sure enough, a few seconds later, we all hear a strange noise.

theeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwww BOOOOOM!! Brilliant red sparks suddenly light up the starry sky.

"What's going on?!" Yells Toph "Are we under attack?"

"Haha, no don't worry" Laughs Aang "It's just part of the show."

More colors explode in the sky, and we all go quiet just watching, except for Aang who was trying his best to tell Toph what was happening. We all stayed like that for a few minutes until Zuko turned towards me.

"Hey Katara?"

"Yes"

"I've been thinking about what happened yesterday."

"What? How so?" I look around to see if any of the others were listening, but they all seemed very absorbed in the show.

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to stay here with me."

"What? Stay here?" Whoa, that took me totally off guard.

"Yeah. I was thinking you could move your hospital over here, and you could stay in the Palace with me. I'm sure you've already helped a lot of the Earth Nation soldiers, but I know of a few Fire Nation soldiers who can't cross to ocean to be in your care. And also, if you went back over there, I would only be able to see you about once a month or so. If you came to live with me then we would be able to see each other all the time."

"But I thought you said you weren't ready to start a relationship."

"Well, I'm not yet, but when I am you'd be right there. So what do you say?"

"I … I don't know Zuko. It seems like a good idea, but this is all so sudden…"

"Please?" Said Zuko sweetly, placing his hand on top of mine. I can feel myself giving in.

"Ok. It'll take a while to sort thinks out at the hospital, but yes. I will."

"Thank you Katara." Said Zuko, giving my hand a squeeze before turning back to the display of lights in the sky.

'_I have to admit when I first came to this party, I never expected so much would change, but I'm glad it has. A lot has happened in these past few days, and I know a lot is still going to happen…_' I look over at Zuko and watch as the colored flashes light up his face_ 'But somehow, I know everything is going to work out in the end.'_

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Well, there you have it. It's all done. So how did you like it? I hope it lived up to your expectations. Please review, even if you come across this story several years from now. I love reviews!

I'm sorry again for the long wait. My life's been a bit busy lately. I had a great time at the Anime convention! I bought a Gaara (from Naruto) plushie and a Sesshomaru (from InuYasha) plushie. I also got a really cool Mello (from Death Note) poster.

Has anyone ever noticed how similar Zuko and Suki's names are? The letters are either the same or next to each other on the keyboard. I have no problem writing Zuko's name, but every time I try to write Suki, it's either Suko or Zuki. Every time!


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